Application programming interface for multi-touch input detection

ABSTRACT

A sensing device, such as a user-wearable device (UWD) worn by a user of a touchscreen, may provide kinematic data of the sensing device or UWD and/or identification data of the user to a processor that operates the touchscreen. Such data may allow the processor to perform a number of user-touchscreen interactions, such as displaying user-specific windows or menus, processing user-manipulation of displayed objects, and determining which hand of a user performs a touch event, just to name a few examples.

PRIORITY

This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority toU.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/963,102 and to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/962,895, both filed on Dec. 8, 2015, which claimpriority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/190,727, filed onJul. 9, 2015, which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The popularity of smartphones, tablets, and many types of informationappliances is driving demand and acceptance of touchscreens for portableand functional electronics. Touchscreens are found, among other places,in the medical field and in heavy industry, as well as for automatedteller machines (ATMs), and kiosks such as museum displays or roomautomation, where keyboard and mouse systems do not allow a suitablyintuitive, rapid, or accurate interaction by the user with the display'scontent.

Touchscreen displays continue to increase in size. Large touchscreens(e.g., greater than eighty inch diagonal) are being used as lecturetools in front of audiences, for example. Touchscreens allow a user tomanipulate objects displayed by the touchscreen, such as objectselection, positioning (e.g., dragging), and so on. Althoughtouchscreens allow users to interact with displayed data, some existingsystems have a number of drawbacks. For instance, when largetouchscreens are used, some systems cannot properly interpret an inputif multiple touch commands are received. Unlike a small screen, where auser may only utilize one hand or one finger, the interpretation ofinputs from multiple or simultaneous touch commands on a largetouchscreen may cause an error or inadvertent input.

SUMMARY

A sensing device, such as a user-wearable device (UWD) worn by a user ofa touchscreen, may provide kinematic data of the sensing device or UWDand/or identification data of the user to a processor that operates thetouchscreen. Such data may allow the processor to perform a number ofuser-touchscreen interactions, such as displaying user-specific windowsor menus, processing user-manipulation of displayed objects, anddetermining which hand or fingers of a user performs a touch event, justto name a few examples.

Some configurations described herein are directed to interactivedisplays that may be operated by a touchscreen, particularly onescapable of distinguishing and responding to multiple simultaneoustouches (multi-touch), and/or one or more digital styluses (pen and/ortouch). While some configurations may be applied to larger interactivedigital-whiteboard type displays, other configurations may be applied tosmaller versions of interactive displays, such as those incorporated inso-called slate or tablet computers, for example, and even smallerdevices such as touchscreen-operated smart phones.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essentialfeatures of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used asan aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. The term“techniques,” for instance, may refer to system(s), method(s),computer-readable instructions, module(s), algorithms, hardware logic(e.g., Field-programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Application-specificIntegrated Circuits (ASICs), Application-specific Standard Products(ASSPs), System-on-a-chip systems (SOCs), Complex Programmable LogicDevices (CPLDs)), and/or other technique(s) as permitted by the contextabove and throughout the document.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanyingfigures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference numberidentifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. Thesame reference numbers in different figures indicate similar oridentical items.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting an example environment in whichtechniques described herein may be implemented.

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of an example system that includesa touchscreen and users of the touchscreen, according to exampleconfigurations.

FIG. 3 includes timing diagrams of an example touch event performed byan arm/hand wearing a user-wearable device.

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates example acceleration pulses travellingfrom one hand of a user to the other hand.

FIG. 5 includes timing diagrams of an example touch event performed byan arm/hand opposite the arm/hand wearing a user-wearable device.

FIG. 6 illustrates arms/hands interacting with example objects displayedon a touchscreen.

FIG. 7 illustrates arms/hands of two users interacting with exampleobjects displayed on a touchscreen.

FIG. 8 illustrates various angles of approach of arms/hands onto atouchscreen, according to some examples.

FIG. 9 is an example data table that includes user identification for anumber of individual users and historical data corresponding to theindividual users.

FIG. 10 illustrates two examples of arm extension lengths during touchevents.

FIG. 11 illustrates one or more users interacting with example displayedobjects on a tabletop touchscreen.

FIG. 12 illustrates an arm/hand of a user wearing a UWD and interactingwith example displayed objects on a touchscreen.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of an example machine learning system.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of example machine learning models.

FIG. 15 illustrates a UWD worn by a user and interactions with anexample handheld touchscreen.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of an example application programminginterface.

FIG. 17 is a flow diagram of an example process for responding to atouch event.

FIG. 18 is a flow diagram of an example process for responding to atouch event in view of an identified user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

When interacting with an object or device, each hand of a user (hereindefined as a person having a right hand and a left hand or having onehand and an opposite hand) may have a different role. For example, thenon-dominant hand may be specialized to position a workspace for thedominant hand. In some configurations, an apparatus may distinguish adominant hand versus a non-dominant hand of a user by receiving wirelesssignals representative of motion of a device (e.g., a band or ring) wornby the user. The device, herein called a user-wearable device (UWD) mayinclude, for example, motion sensors such as an accelerometer and/orgyro, or type of inertial measurement unit (IMU). Techniques involvedmay correlate motion of the UWD with touch event(s) of (and detected by)a touchscreen. In some implementations, such techniques may allowdetection (or determination) of which user (and which hand or finger(s)of the user), among two or more users, is performing a touch event withthe touchscreen (or “display surface”, which may comprise any surfacethat may include a displayed image). In other implementations,techniques may correlate motion of a device (e.g., a controller, pen,etc.) held by a hand of a user (such as controller or a pen) with touchevent(s) of (and detected by) a touchscreen. In other words, correlatedmotion need not involve a device worn by a user (e.g., a UWD). In stillother implementations, techniques may correlate motion using remotesensing by tracking one or more of a user's hands (or fingers orportions of arms) by a camera, radar, a Doppler radar, acoustic sensing,Lidar, magnetic sensing, or depth camera, just to name a few examples.

Herein, various terms may be used for a touch display device, such astouch screen, touch display, and so on. Unless otherwise specified in aparticular context, such terms are substantially equivalent. Atouchscreen may include an input device normally layered on the top ofan electronic visual display of an information processing system. A usermay provide input or control the information processing system during atouch event using simple or multi-touch gestures by touching the displaywith a special stylus/pen, one or more fingers, one or more hands, orother body parts. The user may, for example, use the touch display toreact to what is displayed and to control how it is displayed (forexample by expanding (e.g., two-finger pinch zooming) text size,selecting menu items or objects, and so on). Herein, a touch event mayinvolve physical touch between the user (e.g., the user's finger(s),hand(s)), or an object such as a stylus and the touchscreen, or mayinvolve a hover event where the user (e.g., the user's finger(s),hand(s)), or an object such as a stylus comes relatively close to (e.g.,a few millimeters or a few centimeters) the surface of the touchscreenwithout touching the touchscreen. In some examples, a touch event mayrefer to a pressing event that exceeds a certain pressure level (force)on a contact surface, such as that required by a resistive touchscreen.The term “touch event”, unless otherwise indicated, refers to a touchevent, a hover event, or a combination thereof). Herein, the term“arm/hand” is used to represent any portion of a user's arm or hand,from the shoulder to any of the fingers or thumb. For some examples, atouch event of an arm/hand may involve one or more fingers touching atouchscreen, a side of a hand touching, hovering or passing over aportion of the touchscreen, or a forearm in a particular orientationabove the touchscreen. Claimed subject matter is not limited in thisrespect.

Rather than using a mouse, touchpad, or any other intermediate device, atouchscreen may enable a user to interact directly with displayedobjects (e.g., windows, menus, text, drawings, icons, images, and so on)that are displayed. Though some examples herein recite a “screen,”techniques herein may be similarly applied to a touch surface without anintegrated display, or a display located separately from (or separatelyprojected on) the input surface. For example, UWD sensing techniques maybe used in combination with a grip sensor, as well as with a touchscreen(e.g., such as for sensing which hand and/or user makes contact with therear surface of a grip sensing tablet). Thus, in some examples, acombination of a touch-sensitive surface plus a UWD need not involve adisplay.

Touchscreens may be used in devices such as game consoles, personalcomputers, tablet computers, smartphones, large display screens (e.g.,situated at the front of a classroom or lecture hall), and so on. Atouchscreen may be attached to a computer(s) or used a client device(e.g., as terminals) for networks. A touchscreen may be integrated inthe design of digital appliances such as personal digital assistants(PDAs), GPS navigation devices, mobile phones, video games, E-books, andso on.

Various examples describe techniques and architectures for a systemenabled to (among other things) detect dynamics of an arm/hand touchinga touchscreen or non-touch-sensitive surface or display. For example, asystem may detect or determine the impact (e.g., velocity andacceleration in three dimensions) of touch of an arm/hand onto a displayor other surface.

In various examples, a system may allow portability of such techniqueson any of a number of types of touchscreens, such as smartphones,slates, large displays, and so on for users wearing one or more UWDsthat streams motion sensing data to receivers associated with thetouchscreens.

In some configurations, a system may automatically detect, identify, ordistinguish among a number of users operating (or being near) atouchscreen. This may be useful, for example, in cases where multiplepeople are working side by side and/or collaborating on a largetouchscreen. In some implementations, cluster information may be used todetect actions of a user even if a hand of the user is not wearing aUWD. In some implementations, menus individually customized toparticular users may follow the individual users across multipledevices. In some implementations, a finger clipboard may be used tocarry files through the cloud, for example.

Herein, some configurations involve a UWD, which may be a wrist band,bracelet, a patch (e.g., adhesive patch), a glove (e.g., which need notcover the whole hand), and so on. In some cases, a UWD may be a watch orconsidered to be jewelry. Other examples of a UWD include a band (e.g.,bracelet, clasp, bangles, etc.), ring (e.g., one or more on finger(s) orthumb(s)), armband or forearm sleeve or other electronic textiles (e.g.,e-clothing), elbow pad or armband worn on upper arm, a mobile device(e.g., phone) affixed or strapped to an extremity, bandage, electronictattoo with embedded sensors, electronic skin or graft, subcutaneoussensors (e.g., a relatively small module implantable or injected underthe skin), electronic fingernail (e.g., stick-on-nail with displayand/or sensing ability), sensors affixed as part of a piercing or otherjewelry, or sensors held by the user, such as a controller, stylus, orpen, among other things. Regarding the latter example, though “UWD”refers to a device that is worn by a user, “UWD” may refer to a devicethat is held by a user.

In any case, a UWD may be configured to wirelessly transmit electronicsignals representative of motion of the UWD (e.g., translation,rotation, orientation, speed, velocity, acceleration, etc.) and/oridentification (ID) of the wearer of the UWD. Such ID may compriseidentifying information for a particular user or for a group of users.For example, identification indicating a user is a faculty member andnot a student may allow particular user-privileges or data access forfaculty users not afforded to students. A UWD may include a memorydevice, a transmitter and/or transceiver, and/or a processor, forexample, though claimed subject matter is not limited in this respect.In some implementations, a user may wear more than one UWD (e.g., a bandon the non-dominant hand and a ring on the dominant hand).

In some examples, an ID may be in the form of a globally uniqueidentifier (GUID) or MAC address or other unique string derived from theconnection (pairing) of the UWD with the display or other proximaldevice. In some implementations, a username of a user and/or userinformation (e.g., user preferences) may be found on the Internet orCloud (e.g., username not stored in the UWD) by using a GUID of the UWD.In some particular examples, detecting or establishing an ID need notrequire any additional hardware beyond sensors and a wirelessconnection.

In some configurations, when a finger of a user touches a touchscreen, a“touchdown” event (sometimes named “pointer-pressed”) may be produced byan application programming interface (API). This event may be responsiveto the finger having touched the touchscreen. In some configurations,the event may involve information that may allow a processor, forexample, to determine which hand or finger(s) of the user, or which useramong a number of users, has touched the touchscreen. For example, theinformation may include identification data of a user. The data may bestored in a UWD worn by the user. The data may be wirelesslycommunicated to a processor (e.g., a processor of the touchscreen) (i)subsequent to or in parallel with the touchdown event, (ii) from time totime or periodically, (iii) when the user (and the UWD) is within aparticular distance from the touchscreen, or (iv) at the beginning of asession of use of the touchscreen, just to name a few examples.

The touchdown event may involve information that may allow a processorto determine the intensity of the touch. As described below, suchdetermination may be based, at least in part, on motion detected usinginertial measurement devices, such as an accelerometer, gyroscope,compass, and so on.

In some example configurations, actions of the processor, and associatedactions of the touchscreen (e.g., what objects or images may bedisplayed subsequent to the event), may be based, at least in part, onthe determination of (i) which hand of the user, or which user among anumber of users, has touched the touchscreen, (ii) orientation of thehand at the time of touch, (iii) orientation of the other users' handsat the time of touch, and (iv) the intensity of the touch, among otherthings. For example, if a particular user is determined to have touchedthe touchscreen, then a menu that is customized (e.g., a priori, orbased on most-recently-used commands and tools by the particular user,on the present device or elsewhere) to the particular user may bedisplayed. In another example, if a dominant hand of a user isdetermined to have touched the touchscreen, then the touchscreen mayresultantly display objects or images different from the case where thenon-dominant hand was determined to have touched the touchscreen. In yetanother example, if the intensity (e.g., touch impact—how hard the usertouched the screen) is determined (or detected) to be above a particularthreshold, then the touchscreen may resultantly display objects orimages different from the case where the intensity is determined (ordetected) to be below the particular threshold. In yet another instance,there might be more than one threshold.

Herein, the phrase “modifying at least one object displayed by atouchscreen” refers to a touchscreen (e.g., or other type of display orsurface) changing what (e.g., windows, menus, icons, graphical objects,text, and so on) or how (e.g., brightness and/or contrast of particularportions of the touchscreen) it displays the objects or displaybackground. In some examples, a system may use indirect inputs (e.g., asin desktop computing, where a device on the desk triggers actions on theseparate display). In other examples, a system may use interaction(s) ona projected surface. A surface need not be a display, per se, such as acase where an image is projected onto a surface such as a wall or desk.

A system, which may include a touchscreen, a processor of thetouchscreen, and a UWD worn by a user, may wirelessly receive signalsfrom the UWD. Signals representative of motion of the UWD (and thusassociated motion of the user) may include shapes, profiles, spikes,etc. For example, signals representative of acceleration plotted as afunction of time may include an acceleration pulse (e.g., spike orsharply-profiled pulse) that may indicate a touchdown event. This isbecause peak acceleration may occur at the time when the user's fingeror hand touches a surface, such as the touchscreen. Accordingly, a pulseof an acceleration signal may indicate such a touchdown event. Such apulse may have a pulse width (e.g., full width at half max (FWHM)) ofabout 100 milliseconds or less, though claimed subject matter is not solimited.

In some configurations, if the width of an acceleration pulse is below a(predetermined) threshold and its height (amplitude) is above adetection threshold, then the processor of the system may determine thatthere is a correlation between the touchdown event and the accelerationpulse produced by the UWD. Thus it may be likely that the hand wearingthe UWD (the non-dominant hand may be wearing the UWD, but this need notbe the case) just touched the touchscreen (or other surface). Theprocessor of the system (e.g., via an API) may subsequently initiate ahand-detection event that will have information about which hand justtouched (e.g., non-dominant hand in this case), user information (sincethe API “knows” which UWD motion produced the spike in the accelerometerat that time), and the intensity of the touch (e.g., light touch versushard touch), which may be based on the shape of the spike (pulse). Insome examples, an API may return a contact ID and finger position (whichmay be sensed by a standard touch API, for example). For illustrativepurposes, an input provided by the non-dominant hand is referred toherein as a non-dominant input and an input provided by the dominanthand is referred to herein as a dominant input.

As just described, a UWD that is worn by a hand that performs a touchmay produce an acceleration pulse or other motion rate change. The UWDworn on a hand that performs a touch may measure the accelerationprofile when the touch occurs. (In some implementations, the UWD maystream transmitted sensor data while a processor controlling a displaymeasures the acceleration profile or other motion parameters based, atleast in part, on the sensor data.) On the other hand, the hand that isnot wearing a UWD may instead perform a touch. Even though the hand notwearing the UWD performed the touch and the hand wearing the UWD did notperform a touch, the UWD may nevertheless produce an accelerationprofile. This is because motion of one part of the user may transfer(e.g., “shock” wave, weight shift, etc.) to another part of the user.The difference is as follows: the UWD of a hand that performed a touchmay produce a relatively spiked profile having a relatively largemagnitude. But the UWD worn on the other hand (that did not perform thetouch) may produce a relatively flattened pulse.

In some configurations, a user may wear multiple UWD's on the same arm(i.e. a ring and a band). For example, in such a case a system may beable to determine the orientation of the finger and the wrist to createmore complex gestures. The motion signals provided by each device canalso be combined in this case to more confidently or more sensitivelydetect spikes in the motion signal.

In some configurations, a UWD may be worn on the non-dominant hand, butthe system may be automatically informed where the UWD is worn based, atleast in part, on user preferences for a specific user. Such userpreferences may be provided from memory located in the Cloud or part ofa system, input by the user, or may be gathered directly from the UWD(e.g., user settings stored on the UWD). Default settings (e.g. userstypically wear watches on the left hand) may also be used in case ofincomplete knowledge. In another instance, machine learning, and/orcameras, etc. may be used to determine where the UWD is worn. In yetanother instance, there may also be a mix of such approaches todetermine where the UWD is worn. Configurations described herein may beapplied to slates (e.g., not limited to large displays and smartphones)or any type of device (with or without a display) that can be touched.

In examples herein, though an element, such as a user, an object,finger, hand, UWD, processor, and so on, may be stated in the singular,claimed subject matter is not so limited. Thus for example, unlessotherwise stated, more than one of such elements may be implied.

Various examples are described further with reference to FIGS. 1-18.

The environment described below constitutes one example and is notintended to limit the claims to any one particular operatingenvironment. Other environments may be used without departing from thespirit and scope of the claimed subject matter.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example environment 100 in which example processesas described herein can operate. In some examples, the various devicesand/or components of environment 100 include a variety of computingdevices 102. By way of example and not limitation, computing devices 102may include devices 102 a-102 f, which may be interconnected via anetwork 103 that may comprise the Internet or the Cloud, for example.Although illustrated as a diverse variety of device types, computingdevices 102 can be other device types and are not limited to theillustrated device types. Computing devices 102 can comprise any type ofdevice with one or multiple processors 104 operably connected to aninput/output interface 106 and memory 108, e.g., via a bus 110.Computing devices 102 can include personal computers such as, forexample, desktop computers 102 a, laptop computers 102 b, tabletcomputers 102 c, telecommunication devices 102 d, personal digitalassistants (PDAs) 102 e, a touchscreen(s) 102 f, electronic bookreaders, wearable computers, automotive computers, gaming devices,measurement devices, etc. Computing devices 102 can also includebusiness or retail oriented devices such as, for example, servercomputers, thin clients, terminals, and/or work stations. In someexamples, computing devices 102 can include, for example, components forintegration in a computing device, appliances, or other sorts ofdevices.

In some examples, some or all of the functionality described as beingperformed by computing devices 102 may be implemented by one or moreremote peer computing devices, a remote server or servers, or a cloudcomputing resource. In some examples, a computing device 102 maycomprise one or multiple processors 104 to receive kinematic and/or useridentification from a UWD via input/output 106, which may comprise awireless receiver, for example.

In some examples, as shown regarding touchscreen 102 f, memory 108 canstore instructions executable by the processor 104 including anoperating system (OS) 112, a machine learning module 114, and programsor applications 116 that are loadable and executable by processor 104.The one or more processors 104 may include one or more centralprocessing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), video bufferprocessors, and so on. In some implementations, machine learning module114 comprises executable code stored in memory 108 and is executable byprocessor 104 to collect information, locally or remotely by computingdevice 102, via input/output 106. The information may be associated withone or more of applications 116. Machine learning module 114 mayselectively apply any of a number of machine learning decision modelsstored in memory 108 (or, more particularly, stored in machine learning114) to apply to input data. For example, machine learning may beinvolved in processes involving the processor interpreting ordetermining user actions based, at least in part, on informationreceived from a UWD 118, which may wirelessly communicate with a device(e.g., 102) that operates touchscreen 102 f via wireless communicationpath 120. In some implementations, touchscreen 102 f may comprise adisplay surface (e.g., any surface such as a wall, table, etc.)associated with processor 104. For example, touchscreen 102 f may be awall with an image displayed thereon by a projector operated by aprocessor.

Though certain modules have been described as performing variousoperations, the modules are merely examples and the same or similarfunctionality may be performed by a greater or lesser number of modules.Moreover, the functions performed by the modules depicted need notnecessarily to be performed locally by a single device. Rather, someoperations could be performed by a remote device (e.g., peer, server,cloud, etc.).

Alternatively, or in addition, some or all of the functionalitydescribed herein can be performed, at least in part, by one or morehardware logic components. For example, and without limitation,illustrative types of hardware logic components that can be used includeField-programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Program-specific IntegratedCircuits (ASICs), Program-specific Standard Products (ASSPs),System-on-a-chip systems (SOCs), Complex Programmable Logic Devices(CPLDs), etc.

In some examples, computing device 102 can be associated with a depthcamera, which may be used to measure distances from the camera tovarious portions of an image captured by the camera. In some cases,individual pixels of the image may have associated distance dataspecifying the distance from the camera to the portion of the imagecorresponding to the respective pixel. In some examples, computingdevice 102 can be associated with a camera capable of capturing imagesand/or video and/or a microphone capable of capturing audio. Forexample, input/output module 106 can incorporate such a camera and/ormicrophone. Captured images of users of a touchscreen, for example, maybe compared to images in a database of users stored in memory 108, andsuch comparing may be used, in part, to identify the users. Audio ofspeech may be compared to audio in a database of users stored in memory108, and such comparing may be used, in part, to identify the users.Such identifying may be used in conjunction with identify informationprovided by UWD worn by one or more of the users. Memory 108 may includeone or a combination of computer readable media.

Computer readable media may include computer storage media and/orcommunication media. Computer storage media includes volatile andnon-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in anymethod or technology for storage of information such as computerreadable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data.Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, phase changememory (PRAM), static random-access memory (SRAM), dynamic random-accessmemory (DRAM), other types of random-access memory (RAM), read-onlymemory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory(EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, compact diskread-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disks (DVD) or otheroptical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic diskstorage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transmissionmedium that can be used to store information for access by a computingdevice.

In contrast, communication media embodies computer readableinstructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in amodulated data signal, such as a carrier wave, and/or other transmissionmechanism. As defined herein, computer storage media does not includecommunication media. In various examples, memory 108 is an example ofcomputer storage media storing computer-executable instructions. Whenexecuted by processor 104, the computer-executable instructionsconfigure the processor to, among other things, receive kinematic datafor a UWD during a touch event for a touchscreen performed by a user;and modify at least one object displayed by the touchscreen based, atleast in part, on the received kinematic data.

In various examples, an input device of input/output (I/O) interfaces106 can be an indirect input device (e.g., a mouse, keyboard, a cameraor camera array, etc.), or another type of non-tactile device, such asan audio input device.

Computing device(s) 102 may also include one or more input/output (I/O)interfaces 106 to allow the computing device 102 to communicate withother devices. Input/output (I/O) interfaces 106 can include one or morenetwork interfaces to enable communications between computing device 102and other networked devices such as other device(s) 102. Input/output(I/O) interfaces 106 can allow a device 102 to communicate with otherdevices such as user input peripheral devices (e.g., a keyboard, amouse, a pen, a game controller, a voice input device, a touch inputdevice, gestural input device, and the like) and/or output peripheraldevices (e.g., a display, a printer, audio speakers, a haptic output,and the like).

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a system 200 that includes atouchscreen 202 and users 204 and 206 of the touchscreen, according toexample configurations. User 204 has a dominant hand 204 a and anon-dominant hand 204 b. User 206 has a dominant hand 206 a and anon-dominant hand 206 b. (It is to be noted that a user may wear a UWDon a non-dominant hand or dominant hand). Such hand assignments aremerely examples, and a dominant or non-dominant hand may be a left handor a right hand of a user. Though a finger of the hands is illustratedas approaching and/or touching the touchscreen, examples include caseswhere more than one finger, a side or back of a hand, or the thumb mayapproach or touch a touchscreen, and claimed subject matter is notlimited in this respect. Also, right and left hands of a user may crossone another in their approach or touch of a touchscreen. Moreover, rightand left hands of multiple users may cross one another in their approachor touch of a touchscreen.

System 200 may further comprise a processor 210 associated withtouchscreen 202 and a UWD 212. In various configurations, a “system” maybe considered to include any combination of things identified as beingin system 200, which is a particular example for which claimed subjectmatter is not so limited. For example, in some configurations, a systemmay be considered to be touchscreen 202 and processor 210 (e.g.,excluding the users and UWD). Again, claimed subject matter is not solimited.

In some examples, functionality described as being a part of UWD 212 mayinstead (or additionally) be part of a device that is not worn by auser, such as a device held by a hand of the user. In a particularexample, a pen or controller, which may be held by a hand, mayincorporate such functionality.

Herein, unless specifically noted, “processor” may include one or moreprocessors. Processor 210, which may be similar to or the same asprocessor 104 of computing device 102, illustrated in FIG. 1, may beused to operate touchscreen 202. For example, processor 210 may executecode to allow touchscreen 202 to display objects generated by any of anumber of applications, which may also be executed by processor 210. Amemory 214, which may be local (e.g., hard-wired in packaging oftouchscreen 202 and/or processor 210) or remote (e.g., in a wired orwireless computer network), accessible to processor 210 may store suchexecutable code or applications.

UWD 212 may be communicatively coupled (e.g., wired or wirelessly) toprocessor 210 (and thus to touchscreen 202). UWD 212 may include aprocessor 216, kinematic sensors 218, a memory 220, and atransmitter/transceiver 222. In some examples, UWD 212 may furtherinclude a heartbeat monitor, light sensors, cameras, depth cameras, andso on. Kinematic sensors 218, which may comprise inertial sensors,gravitational sensors, compasses, accelerometers, barometric sensors,force sensors or strain gauges, bend or flex sensors, sensors thatdetect compression of a material, and so on, may generate kinematic datathat includes position, velocity, and/or acceleration of the UWD withrespect to an inertial coordinate system (e.g., in reference totouchscreen 202) and/or with respect to the local coordinate system ofthe wearable itself. UWD 212 may transmit kinematic data viatransmitter/transceiver 222 to processor 210 via atransmitter/transceiver 224. Information received viatransmitter/transceiver 224 may be provided to an API 226, which in turnmay be operated, at least in part, by processor(s) 210.

Memory 220 may store personal and/or identifying data of individualusers. Such data, for example, may include user preferences foroperating various applications (e.g., menu or display parameters),identification (e.g., ID number, name, user name, and so on) to allowfor distinguishing the user from other users, and historical data ofkinematic behavior (e.g., physical characteristics of touch events thatare typical for the user). In some configurations, the GUID of the UWDmay be transmitted while the rest of the data comes from the Cloud orfrom system 202, or a combination thereof. In some configurations, auser of UWD 212 or system 200 has to “opt-in” or take other affirmativeaction before personal data may be used or stored by the UWD or system202, or another system in communication with UWD or system, or thecloud.

In some configurations, processor 210 may transmit information (e.g.,“other communications”, as identified in FIG. 2) to UWD 212, such ashandshaking data or signals that notify presence or various actionsperformed by processor 210 and/or UWD 212.

As pointed out above, a touch event may be, among other things, one ormore hands or one or more fingers physically contacting a touchscreen.By any of a number of techniques described herein, system 200 may beable to identify particular users 204 and 206, and these users may havedifferent attributes, such as different heights, different arm-lengthreaches, and so on. Such attributes may be stored by in memory 214, 220,or the Cloud (e.g., 103). For example, user 206 may be taller than user204 and may be able to reach higher on touchscreen 202 toward the top208 of the touchscreen, as compared to user 204. User 206 may also havea wider reach so that, for a given standing or sitting position in frontof touchscreen 202, hands 206 a and 206 b may be able to cover a widerportion of touchscreen 202 as compared to user 204.

In some configurations, subsequent to determining which hand of a useris dominant and non-dominant, system 200 may modify any of a number offeatures or objects displayed by touchscreen 202. Such features orobjects may include, among other things, windows, menus, icons,brightness and/or contrast of particular portions of the touchscreen,graphical objects, text, and so on. For example, because hand 204 a isthe dominant hand of user 204, a region of touchscreen 202 around thelocation of user 204 or around a touch event initiated by hand 204 a maydisplay objects appropriate for action by a dominant hand, which may bedifferent from those for a non-dominant hand.

In some configurations, subsequent to determining which hand of a useris left and right (e.g., independent of which hand is dominant andnon-dominant), system 200 may modify any of a number of features orobjects displayed by touchscreen 202 based on such determination. Forexample, the portion of the touchscreen that is determined to berelatively near (or within arm's reach, for example, based on sizeinformation about the user, handedness of the user, and so on) the lefthand may display differently as compared to the portion of thetouchscreen relatively near the right hand.

In some configurations, using motion information provided by UWD 212worn by user 204 or 206 (or any possible additional users), the user mayinitiate a touch event involving two or more fingers, hands, or anycombination thereof to virtually “grab” an object displayed bytouchscreen 202 and rotate and/or translate the displayed object in realtime as the user's hands or fingers (or wrist, etc.) correspondinglyrotate and/or translate. For example, such three-dimensional (“3D”)manipulation of displayed objects may then be dragged and dropped tovarious parts of the display of the touchscreen.

In some configuration, 2D orientation information provided by UWD 212worn by user 204 or 206 (or any possible additional users) may be usedin an example case where fingers/hand may behave as if touching a(virtual) knob on the touchscreen and turning the knob by rotating thefingers/hand to the left or right.

In some configuration, orientation information provided by UWD 212 wornby user 204 or 206 (or any possible additional users) may be used tocontrol displayed information. If the user reaches to a relativelyhigher point (e.g., resulting from a steeper tilt of the UWD), aparticular menu may be displayed. If the user touches a relatively lowerpoint, a different menu may be displayed. UWD orientations may enable adisplay of multiple menus or different information, according to thelocation of the touch relative to the user position.

In some configuration, orientation information provided by UWD 212 wornby user 204 and/or 206 (or any possible additional users) may be used tomodify touch events. In a similar fashion to retrieving new or deeperinformation by additional pressure, a user may orient a hand relative toa touch point (such as changing the tilt of the hand, or the horizontaldirection of the hand) as a gesture to receive additional data relatedto the touched object, for example.

In some configurations, using kinematic information provided by UWD 212worn by a user, the user may magnify (enlarge) displayed objects. Insome cases, a user may magnify an object while performing 3Dmanipulation of that object and/or other objects (e.g., gesture in theair). For example, user 204 may initiate a touch event comprisingphysical contact with touchscreen 202 or comprising a hover over thetouchscreen. The touch event may include the user performing a pinchingor spreading motion of their hands and/or fingers in space or on thesurface of the touchscreen. Such motion may correspond to negative orpositive magnification of objects displayed by touch screen 202.

In some examples, a touch event may comprise a hand of the user hoveringabove a touchscreen. In such a case, a processor may track motion of thehovering hand of the user and modify at least one object displayed bythe touchscreen based, at least in part, on the motion of the hoveringhand of the user. For example, the motion of the hovering hand maycomprise rotation of the hovering hand. Modifying object(s) displayed bythe touchscreen may involve rotating the object(s) corresponding to therotation of the hovering hand.

In some configurations, by using kinetic data provided by UWD 212 wornby a user, system 200 need not include a camera, depth camera, or otherimage/video-capturing device to detect or measure motion of one or moreof the users. Such configurations may also allow system 200 to detect,using UWD 212, a user approaching and leaving (e.g., walking toward oraway from) touchscreen 202.

In some configurations, UWD 212 may provide personal information abouteach user (e.g., after an “opt-in” selection by each user), or mayprovide identification of each user so that processor 210 maysubsequently retrieve from memory 214 such personal information.

In some configurations, UWD 212 may allow personal information oruser-preference settings to transfer across multiple devices (e.g.,devices other than touchscreen 202 and processor 210). For example, if auser has a particular work-in-progress activity displayed on touchscreen202, then the user may transfer (e.g., leave touchscreen 202 and walk)over to another computing device or display and the work-in-progressactivity may likewise transfer to the other computing device or display(e.g., the work-in-progress activity may be displayed by the otherdevice). Icons, personal menus, display settings, and so on, maysimilarly be transferred across multiple devices. Memory 220 of the UWDmay store data that enables such transfer. In another configuration, theUWD may act as an identifier of the user for the different devices sothat the different devices may retrieve (e.g., from another device on anetwork, a server, Internet, or Cloud) icons, personal menus, settings,work-in-progress, and so on.

FIG. 3 includes timing diagrams 300 (300 a, 300 b, 300 c) of an exampletouch event 302 performed by an arm/hand 304 wearing a UWD 306. In thisexample, touch event 302 comprises a physical contact between a finger308 and a display surface 310 of a touchscreen 312. In other examples,instead of finger 308, any portion of arm/hand 304, such as more thanone finger or a side or back of the hand, may initiate such a touchevent by physical contact with display surface 310.

In detail, touch event 302 involves a time 314 before contact betweenfinger 308 and surface 310, the time 316 at contact, and the time 318subsequent to the contact. Timing diagram 300 a depicts timing of touchevent 302 represented by a step 322. For example, a processor (e.g.,processor 104 or 210) may operate an application programming interface(API), associated with touchscreen 312, that detects the moment thatfinger 308 touches surface 310. Timing diagram 300 b depicts relativeacceleration (hereinafter, the word “relative” need not be explicit andmay be implied) of the UWD 306 during touch event 302 and is representedby curve 326. Timing diagram 300 c depicts timing of a threshold event,explained below, represented by a step 330.

Before contact, finger 308 (or any portion of an arm/hand) approachessurface 310 with a particular speed or velocity (e.g., speed is a scalarquantity that is independent of direction whereas velocity is a vectorquantity that includes magnitude and direction in each of threeorthogonal directions) and impinges onto surface 310. UWD 306 generallyfollows the motion of finger 308. For example, the speed of UWD 306 andfinger 308 may be similar or the same, and the path of UWD 306 andfinger 308 may be the same but offset by a fixed amount (e.g., adistance between fingertip and the UWD). At the time of contact withsurface 310, finger 308 decelerates. In other words, the surface stopsthe motion of the finger. Hereinafter, deceleration, being a negativeacceleration, is referred to as merely “acceleration,” unless otherwisedescribed. The motion of UWD 306 corresponds to the motion of finger308, and thus UWD 306 experiences similar acceleration. In a microscopictime scale, the acceleration increases to a peak value and thendecreases, following a profile of a curve, such as curve 326, which isthe acceleration profile of UWD 306, and may be described as a pulse.Subsequent to the impact of the finger onto the surface, a small recoil(e.g., bounce) may occur, giving rise to a reverse acceleration, whichis illustrated by the portion of curve 326 that is below the time axis.UWD 306, whether worn on an upper arm, wrist, or finger (or otherportion of the user), may experience an acceleration profile such as326.

In some implementations, a UWD may be able to detect the presence of atouch surface, either by a proximity signal or possibly throughcapacitive coupling (for example). Such detection may subsequently wakeup a sensing module to collect a burst of high-bandwidth sensor data. Inother implementations, a UWD may be able to initiate high frequencysampling when detection of a relatively large (e.g., “hard”)acceleration interrupts the processor of the UWD. Such implementationsmay be useful for power savings of small battery operated devices, forexample.

In some cases, finger 308 (or any portion of an arm/hand) may approachsurface 310 with a particular acceleration (e.g., a scalar or vectorquantity). In examples described herein, however, such an “initial”acceleration may be negligible or ignored in a particular inertialreference frame, so that any initial acceleration is assumed to be zero.

Curve 326 may be described as a pulse having a particular shape that isbased, at least in part, on the speed and direction of finger 308 as itapproaches and impinges on surface 310. Pulse shape may also depend,among other things, on what portion of a user's arm/hand impinges on thesurface, whether a dominant or non-dominant hand performs the touch,where on the user the UWD is worn, a light touch versus a hard touch,extension (e.g., elbow bend) of the user's arm, the size of the user andother physical characteristic of the user, and habits or tendencies thatmay be particular to a specific user, as described below. For example,the speed and direction of a finger on a dominant hand may be differentfrom that of a finger on a non-dominant hand, and such a difference maylead to different pulse shapes. In some examples, information aboutwhere on the user the UWD is worn may be stored in the UWD and/or Cloudand/or may be dynamically learned based on the user's behavior (e.g.,via machine learning), and so on.

In some examples, a technique for determining whether a dominant hand ora non-dominant hand of a user produced a touch event involvesestablishing a detection threshold (DT), which may be based onexperimental and/or statistical data, for instance. A DT is a particularvalue of acceleration that, when exceeded by a portion of anacceleration pulse of a touch event, indicates some condition that isdifferent from the case where the DT is not exceeded by an accelerationpulse. For example, FIG. 3 illustrates a DT 332 that is surpassed by apeak portion of curve 326. This may indicate that UWD 306 is worn on thesame arm/hand as that of finger 308, which performed touch event 302. Ifcurve 326 had a relatively small peak magnitude, as detailed below inFIG. 5, the DT 332 would not be surpassed and it may be determined thatthe UWD is worn on a part of the user other than the same arm/hand asthat of finger 308.

In some examples, a processor may determine that curve 326 produces atouch event subsequent to when curve 326 rises above DT 332. Inparticular, when curve 326 subsequently falls below DT 332, theprocessor determines that touch event 302 has occurred, as representedby a step 330. In some implementations, the processor may consider atime limit measured from when touch event 302 occurs, e.g., step 322.If, for example, an acceleration pulse (e.g., represented by curve 326)fails to exceed DT 332 within such a time limit, then the processor maydetermine that the acceleration pulse was initiated by an arm/handopposite to that which is wearing the UWD. In some examples, such afailure of an acceleration pulse to exceed DT 332 within such a timelimit may be indicative of a case where the acceleration pulse isnegligible and is merely noise and is not caused by a touch event.

The shape of an acceleration pulse may indicate a number of things,described below. For example, an acceleration pulse may include aparticular shape or feature(s) that allows system 200 to determine thata particular user produced the acceleration pulse. In other words, aparticular user may produce a distinct and identifiable accelerationpulse caused by particular movement habits or tendencies. The shape ofan acceleration pulse may be characterized by, among other things, slopeat various parts of the pulse, peak magnitude, full-width-at-half-max(FWHM), and pulse a width 334 at a DT, such as 332. Claimed subjectmatter is not limited to such examples, of course, and any of a numberof other approaches may be used to detect pulses, including approachesinvolving machine learning.

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates example acceleration pulses travellingfrom one hand of a user 402 to the other hand. Generally, as it travelsthrough a user, the intensity or strength of an acceleration pulsediminishes. Mass of the user and travel distance attenuates theacceleration pulse. A system (e.g., system 200) may measure the strengthof an acceleration pulse, among other things as described below, todetermine which arm/hand of a user produced a touch event. (In someimplementations, in the case where a hand that is not wearing a UWDtouches a surface, a relatively small acceleration spike detected by aUWD on the other hand may contribute to identifying which user justtouched the display.)

A portion of an arm/hand (e.g., fingertip) impinging on a surface suchas a touchscreen may generate an acceleration pulse originating at theimpinging portion of the arm/hand. For example, such an accelerationpulse 408 may be generated at fingertip 410 of hand 412. Thoughattenuated, acceleration pulse 408 may travel to any other portion ofuser 402. In the example illustrated, acceleration pulse 408 travelsthrough hand 412, through forearm 414, through upper arm 416, throughthe shoulders and torso of user 402, through upper arm 418, and throughforearm 420. A UWD 422 may measure acceleration pulse 408 which, asmentioned, will be attenuated as compared to the magnitude ofacceleration pulse 408 closer to its origin (e.g., fingertip 410).Because of such attenuation, measurement by a UWD of an accelerationpulse originating at a portion of an arm/hand 424 that is wearing theUWD may be stronger (e.g., higher peak magnitude) as compared to anacceleration pulse originating at a portion of the other arm/hand, whichis not wearing the UWD. For example, an acceleration pulse 426 generatedby touch of fingertip 428 on a touchscreen may be stronger at UWD 422 ascompared to acceleration pulse 408, even though acceleration pulses 408and 424 may initially be the same or similar in strength.

In some examples, direction of an acceleration pulse may provide anindication about orientation of the arm/hand (e.g., and thereby theuser) during touch. For instance, touching with the back of the hand(such as when giving a presentation and the user is not away from thetouchscreen) may generate an acceleration spike in the oppositedirection from that of a “normal” touch (where the user is typicallyfacing the touchscreen) and may thus be distinguished from such a normaltouch.

FIG. 5 includes timing diagrams 500 (500 a. 500 b, 500 c) of an exampletouch event 502 performed by an arm/hand 504 that is not wearing a UWD.In this example, touch event 502 comprises a physical contact between afinger 506 and a display surface 508 of a touchscreen 510. In otherexamples, instead of finger 506, any portion of arm/hand 504, such asmore than one finger or a side or back of the hand, may initiate such atouch event by physical contact with display surface 508.

The situation illustrated in FIG. 5 is similar to that of FIG. 3 exceptthat arm/hand 504, which initiated touch event 502, is not wearing aUWD. In the case for FIG. 3, arm/hand 304, which initiated touch event302, is wearing a UWD. Thus, in the case for FIG. 5, a UWD is worn onthe arm/hand opposite to that which initiated the touch event.

Timing diagram 500 a depicts timing of touch event 502 represented by astep 512. For example, a processor (e.g., processor 104 or 210) mayoperate an application programming interface (API), comprisingtouchscreen 510, that detects the moment that finger 506 touches surface508. Timing diagram 500 b depicts relative acceleration of the UWD,which is worn on the arm/hand opposite that of finger 506, during touchevent 502 and represented by curve 514. Timing diagram 500 c depictstiming of a timeout event, explained below, represented by a step 516.

An acceleration pulse, such as 408, may be generated by touch event 502and measured by the UWD, which is worn on the opposite arm/hand. Thus,the acceleration pulse must travel through the user by a greaterdistance (occupied by body mass, skeletal joints, etc.) as compared tothe case where the UWD is worn on the same arm/hand that initiated thetouch event. Accordingly, the acceleration pulse is attenuated by agreater amount and the UWD measures a relatively small accelerationpulse. This may be observed by comparing curves 326 and 514.

Like curve 326, curve 514 may be described as a pulse having aparticular shape that is based, at least in part, on the speed anddirection of finger 506 as it approaches and impinges on surface 508.Pulse shape may also depend, among other things, on what portion of auser's arm/hand impinges on the surface, whether a dominant ornon-dominant hand performs the touch, where on the user the UWD is worn,extension (e.g., elbow bend) of the user's arm, body size and shape, andhabits or tendencies that may be particular to a specific user, asdescribed below. For example, the speed and direction of a finger on adominant hand may be different from that of a finger on a non-dominanthand, and such a difference may lead to different pulse shapes.

In some examples, a technique for determining whether a dominant hand ora non-dominant hand of a user produced a touch event involvesestablishing a DT, which, as explained above, is a particular value ofacceleration that, when exceeded by a portion of an acceleration pulseof a touch event, indicates some condition that is different from thecase where the DT is not exceeded by an acceleration pulse. For example,FIG. 5 illustrates a DT 518 that is not surpassed by any portion ofcurve 514. This may indicate that the UWD is worn on the oppositearm/hand as that of finger 506, which performed touch event 502. On theother hand, if curve 514 had a relatively large peak magnitude, asdetailed below in FIG. 3, DT 518 may be surpassed and it may bedetermined that the UWD is worn on a part of the user that is the samearm/hand as that of finger 508.

In some examples, the processor may consider a time limit 520 measuredfrom when touch event 502 occurs, e.g., step 512. If, for example, anacceleration pulse (e.g., represented by curve 514) fails to exceed DT518 within such a time limit, then the processor may determine that theacceleration pulse was initiated by an arm/hand opposite to that whichis wearing the UWD, which is the case in FIG. 5. At the end of timelimit 520, the processor makes such a determination.

In some examples, such a failure of an acceleration pulse to exceed DT518 within such a time limit may be indicative of a case where theacceleration pulse is negligible and is merely noise and is not causedby a touch event.

FIG. 6 illustrates arms/hands 602 and 604 of a user interacting withexample objects 606 and 608 displayed on a touchscreen 610. In someexamples, a UWD may be worn on a dominant arm/hand, and in otherexamples, a UWD may be worn on a non-dominant arm/hand. In the exampleillustrated in FIG. 6, arm/hand 602 is considered to be the dominantarm/hand and is wearing a UWD 612. Arm/hand 604 is considered to be thenon-dominant arm/hand and is not wearing a UWD.

Objects 606 and 608 may comprise any of a number of displayable things,such as windows, menus, text, drawings, icons, images, and so on. Forexample, if object 606 is a menu, then object 614 may be one of a numberof menu items that may be selected by the user touching object 614. Insome examples, object 608 may comprise text that includes a number ofwords 616, which may be selected by the user touching any of the words.

As discussed above, when interacting with an object or device, each handof the user may have a different role. For example, non-dominant hand604 may be specialized to position object 608 for dominant hand 602. Insome configurations, a system may automatically distinguish a dominanthand versus a non-dominant hand of a user by receiving wireless signalstransmitted from UWD 612 to the system and which are representative ofmotion of the UWD. Motion of the UWD may correspond to motion of hand602 and 604 (though the motion correspondence between hand 602 and UWD612 may be closer than that between hand 604 and UWD 612).

FIG. 7 illustrates arms/hands 702 and 704 of two different usersinteracting with example objects 706 and 708 displayed on a touchscreen710. In some examples, a UWD 712 may be worn on a (dominant ornon-dominant) arm/hand of a first user, and a UWD 714 may be worn on a(dominant or non-dominant) arm/hand of a second user. Objects 706 and708 may comprise any of a number of displayable things, such as windows,menus, text, drawings, icons, images, and so on.

In some implementations, a system may determine which user, among thetwo users, is performing a touch event with the touchscreen. Forexample, UWDs 712 and 714 may provide identification data for theirrespective wearers to the system. The system may correlate touch events(e.g., timing thereof) with motion of the UWDs and the identificationdata they provide. For example, UWD 712 may provide such identificationdata to the system periodically, from time to time, in response to arequest from the system, or at the time of a touch event. If the systemsenses of a touch event (e.g., via electronics of the touchscreen), thesystem may correlate this touch event with motion of UWD 712 and motionof UWD 714 to determine which user initiated the touch event. Thecorrelation between the touch event and the motion of the UWD worn onthe arm/hand that initiated the touch event will be stronger than thecorrelation between the touch event and the motion of the UWD worn onthe arm/hand that did not initiated the touch event. Accordingly, thesystem may determine which user initiated the touch event. Though thisexample involved two users, such an approach may be performed by asystem for any number of users interacting with a touchscreen, forexample.

FIG. 8 illustrates various angles of approach of an arm/hand 800 of auser onto a touchscreen 802, according to some examples. Arm/hand 800 isillustrated for a number of combinations of approach velocity and handrotation. As mentioned above, an acceleration pulse of a touch eventinitiated by an arm/hand may depend, at least in part, on kinematics ofthe arm/hand as it approaches a touchscreen. For example, hand 800approaching touchscreen 802 at the substantially orthogonal angle ofvelocity vectors V₁, V₃, or V₅ may produce an acceleration pulse havinga larger magnitude as compared with an acceleration pulse produced byhand 800 approaching the touchscreen at a skewed angle of V₂, V₄, or V₆.Rotation of arm/hand 800 may also affect the acceleration pulse of atouch event. For example, arm/hand 800 having a relative rotation 804may produce an acceleration pulse having characteristics different froman acceleration pulse produced by hand 800 having a relative rotation806 (all other kinematics being equal). Such characteristics of theacceleration pulse may include pulse width, magnitude, and shape (e.g.,slope at various portions of the pulse).

In another example, arm/hand 800 initiating a touch event with oneportion (e.g., finger 808) of the arm/hand may produce an accelerationpulse having characteristics different from an acceleration pulseproduced by hand 800 initiating a touch event with two or more portions(e.g., finger 808 and thumb 810) of the arm/hand (all other kinematicsbeing equal). Such characteristics of the acceleration pulse may includepulse width, magnitude, and shape (e.g., slope at various portions ofthe pulse). Such a touch event may be initiated if the two or moreportions touch touchscreen 802 at the same time or within apredetermined time span (e.g., a few hundred milliseconds, or other timespan appropriate for a particular application).

In some examples, individual users may demonstrate particular arm/handrotation and kinematics of approach for a touch event. In other words, auser may have tendencies or habits that are particular for that user,and such tendencies or habits may be distinguishable from other users.Accordingly, a system may use arm/hand rotation and kinematics ofapproach for a touch event on a touchscreen initiated by a user to helpidentify the user. During such a process of identification, the systemmay also use other information, such as position and/or sequence oftouch events by the user and other users, identification data providedby UWDs worn by the user and the other users, and so on.

In some examples, ID data provided by a UWD worn by a user may includeheight of the user. A system may modify at least one object displayed bya touchscreen based, at least in part, on the height of the user. Forexample, is the user is relatively short, the system may tend to displayobjects (e.g., windows and menus) on lower portions of the touchscreen.

FIG. 9 is an example data table 900 that includes user identificationfor a number of individual users and historical data corresponding tothe individual users. As mentioned above, a user may have tendencies orhabits that are particular for that user, and such tendencies or habitsmay be distinguishable from other users. Accordingly, a system mayinclude a memory (e.g., memory 108, 214, and/or 220) that storeshistorical data for a number (e.g., tens, hundreds, thousands or more)of individual users. Such data may be used by the system in a process toidentify (or help to identify) a user. Such a process may be useful todisambiguate in situations that involve, for example, multiple users ona single touchscreen. The data may originate, at least in part, fromkinematic and identification data provided to the system by UWDs worn bythe individual users during previous (historical) touch events. For eachuser, for example, the historical data may include, among other things,such UWD-provided data, position and timing of touch events measured bya touchscreen, and correlation among the UWD-provided data and suchtouchscreen-measured data. The historical data may also includeinformation regarding devices involved in the touch events. Historicaldata may reach back by a few seconds up to months or years, for example.In some implementations, historical data may be used to modify detectionthresholds (e.g., DT 332).

In some examples, machine learning processes may be applied tohistorical data. For example, a system using results of such machinelearning may learn habits or tendencies of a user over time and/orduring interaction between one or more touchscreens and the user. Inother examples, a system using results of machine learning may learnhabits or tendencies of multiple users and their interactions with oneanother and one or more touchscreens.

FIG. 10 illustrates two examples of arm extension lengths during touchevents for a touchscreen 1000. In the top example, a user's arm/hand1002 has a relatively extended configuration so that the forearm 1004and the upper arm 1006 are bent with a relatively large angle 1008 withrespect to each other. In the bottom example, the user's arm/hand 1002has less of an extended configuration where the forearm 1004 and theupper arm 1006 are bent with a relatively small angle 1010 with respectto each other. In some cases, the upper example (extended configuration)may occur if the user is initiating a touch event relatively far fromthe user so that the user has to reach.

An acceleration pulse of a touch event initiated by an arm/hand maydepend, at least in part, on extension lengths of the arm/hand as itapproaches (and touches) a touchscreen. For example, kinematics ofarm/hand 1002 in the bottom and top examples may be different from oneanother. Such differing kinematics may lead to differing accelerationpulses. Such kinematics may be measured by a UWD 1012 worn on arm/hand1002. As discussed above, a user may have tendencies or habits that areparticular for that user, and such tendencies or habits may bedistinguishable from other users. Such tendencies or habits may involvearm extension, height of the user, location of a touch event ontouchscreen 1000 (e.g., a location that is high relative to the user'sheight), type of touchscreen, and orientation of the touchscreen (e.g.,vertical or horizontal), for example.

In some examples, kinematics (e.g., motion) of UWD 1012 may be differentfrom kinematics of arm/hand 1002. In the examples illustrated in FIG.10, such a difference may arise from, among other things, a displacementbetween a portion 1014 (e.g., fingertip) of arm/hand 1002 that initiatesa touch event and the location of UWD 1012. Kinematics may also differbecause of dynamics of arm/hand 1002 as the user moves the arm/handand/or performs shoulder rotation, and so on.

Displacement 1016 in the top example may be greater than displacement1018 in the bottom example, primarily because of the difference in armextension. Here, in these examples, displacement is the distance betweenfingertip and UWD. Displacement may also be affected by location of theUWD on the arm/hand. Nevertheless, kinematics of the UWD, thoughpossibly not identical to kinematics of the portion of the arm/handinitiating the touch event, may correspond to the kinematics of theportion of the arm/hand initiating the touch event.

FIG. 11 illustrates one or more users interacting with example displayedobjects on a touchscreen 1102, which may be a tabletop touchscreenmounted horizontally, for example. A number of users may interact withtouchscreen 1102 and initiate multiple touch events. In some cases suchtouch events may involve physical contact with the surface of thetouchscreen, and in other cases such touch events need not involvephysical contact but may instead involve hover events (e.g., hand motionabove and adjacent to the surface of the touchscreen). Arm/hand 1104 ofa first user, which may be wearing a UWD 1106, may be interacting withtouchscreen 1102 on an edge 1108 of the touchscreen. Arm/hand 1110 of asecond user, which may be wearing a UWD 1112, may be interacting withtouchscreen 1102 on an edge 1114 of the touchscreen. Arm/hand 1116 of athird user, which may be wearing a UWD 1118, may be interacting withtouchscreen 1102 on an edge 1120 of the touchscreen. Less or more usersmay be present, and claimed subject matter is not limited in thisrespect.

Display 1102 includes displayed objects 1122, 1124, and 1126, each whichmay comprise windows, menus, text, drawings, icons, images, and so on.

In some examples, a system may detect where a particular user is sittingat touchscreen 1102 using information provided by a UWD worn by the user(and/or by UWDs worn by other users). For example, if the first usertouches touchscreen 1102 and initiates a touch event, characteristics ofa resulting acceleration pulse measured by UWD 1106 at the time of thetouch may depend, at least in part, on how arm/hand 1104 is extended, asdescribed above with regard to FIG. 10, for instance. Suchcharacteristics may allow a system to distinguish among other users thatmay be facing the first user. In other examples, the orientation ofindividual UWDs relative to orientation of touchscreen 1102 may be usedto determinate where a user (wearing a UWD) is sitting. In still otherexamples, each user may have a particular way to approach and touch adisplay, as explained above. Accordingly, characteristics ofacceleration pulses for historical events associated with individualusers may be stored as data in memory (e.g., as a table or lookup tablesuch as 900) and such data may be dynamically used upon or after touchevent to identify a particular user and to determine a relative locationof the user with respect to orientation of touchscreen 1102.

In some examples, the system may determine orientation and location ofusers with respect to touchscreen 1102 and may use such a determinationto orient displayed objects relative to the orientation and location ofthe users. For example, a system may rotate and/or align object 1124 (asindicated by arrow 1128) with respect to the third user upon or afterdetermining the third user is interacting with touchscreen 1102 fromedge 1120.

In some cases, several users may be collaborating on a flat displaytable (e.g., touchscreen 1102). The users may have respective displayedobjects facing them, but all the labels of the shared workspace (e.g., ashared map) may face a specific user. A gesture by any of arms/hands1104, 1110, and 1116 may rotate the labels toward another of the users.A user may perform a rotation gesture, such as tap with an arm/hand,that automatically rotates one or more of the displayed objects towardthat user. In another example, a rotation gesture may spring back to itsinitial orientation if a particular user removes a touch (e.g., leavesthe touchscreen region, changes positions, etc.).

In some examples, a system may detect orientation of a touchscreen, suchas 1000 or 1102 using a UWD worn by a user. Generally, touchscreens maybe positioned horizontal, angled, or vertical. User experience for eachscenario may be different. Thus, it may be useful for a system to knowthe orientation of the touchscreen so as to generate and provide anappropriate experience. In some systems, a touchscreen may include anembedded IMU, which may be used by the system to determine touchscreenorientation. In other systems, the touchscreen does not include an IMU.For such systems, a UWD worn by a user initiating a touch event bytouching a touchscreen may provide data to a processor regardingorientation of the UWD at the time of (or just before) the touch. Theprocessor may use such data to infer the orientation of the display. Insome implementations, a detection threshold, signal shape, among otherthings, used to detect a user and arm/hand based on measurements by theUWD may depend, at least in part, on the orientation of the display.

In some examples, a processor of a system may use recent historicalevents to distinguish among users if they touch a touchscreen at thesame time. If two or more users touch a touchscreen (e.g., such as arelatively large touchscreen), for example, at the same time, respectiveUWDs worn by the users may register indicate that the users touched thetouchscreen, but information about which touch corresponds to which usermay not be inferred. In some implementations, a system may determine theuser for each touch event by using stored data about recent touchevents. For a particular numerical example, recent historical data mayshow that five seconds ago a first user performed a touch event on theleft side of a touchscreen and seven seconds ago a second user performeda touch event on the right side of the touchscreen. If the first userand the second user subsequently touch the touchscreen at the same time,the processor may infer that the leftmost touch event corresponds to thefirst user, and the rightmost touch event corresponds to the seconduser. In other words, a processor may distinguish among two or moreusers based on history of time and position of touch events performed bythe users. The system may also use the history in combination with otherinformation (e.g., orientation of a UWD) to infer the user for eachtouch.

FIG. 12 illustrates an arm/hand 1202 of a user wearing a UWD 1204 andinteracting with example displayed objects 1206 and 1208 on atouchscreen 1210. In some examples, UWD 1204 may include a sound and/orvibration generating device, such as a haptic device, that may alert theuser (and/or other users) if arm/hand 1202 has entered or exitedparticular regions. A displacement 1212 between UWD 1204 and a fingertip1214 (or multiple fingers), which is considered to be the portion ofarm/hand 1202 that performs touch events in the present example, may beconsidered by a processor in a process of determining location of thefingertip relative to the displayed objects.

For example, displayed object 1206 may be a window having an edge 1216.If a user moves fingertip 1214 past edge 1216, UWD may perform a hapticalert. A system may be configurable so that the UWD may generate analert for various situations, such as an alert while fingertip 1214 iswithin edge 1216, an alert if fingertip 1214 moves beyond a thresholddistance from edge 1216, an alert if fingertip 1214 moves into a regionof object 1208, and so on. Such alerts may be useful forvisually-impaired users, for example.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a machine learning system 1300, accordingto various examples. Machine learning system 1300 includes a machinelearning model 1302, a training module 1304, and a number of clientdevices 1306, any of which may access one or more databases. Machinelearning model 1302 may receive training data from online and offlinetraining module 1304. For example, training data can include data from apopulation, such as a population of elements in a database. A trainingsystem, for example, may be the same as or similar to training module1304. Data from the population may be used to train machine learningmodel 1302. Subsequent to such training, machine learning model 1302 canbe employed in systems 1306, which may be the same as or similar tosystem 100 or 200. Thus, for example, training using the data from thepopulation for online or offline training can act as initial conditionsfor the machine learning model. Other techniques for training, such asthose involving virtual evidence, described below, may be used.Information exchange between a UWD and other portions of a system suchas 200 may be used as training data. As a result, the system may learnand improve accuracy of determining user motion based on motionmeasurements by UWD, for example. For example, some relativelycomplicated determinations may involve how a particular user's righthand motion affects the user's left hand motion (or vice versa). Machinelearning may be useful for such situations where relatively manyvariables are involved in making determinations.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a machine learning model 1400, accordingto various examples. Machine learning model 1400 may be the same as orsimilar to machine learning model 1302 shown in FIG. 13. Machinelearning model 1400 includes any of a number of functional blocks, suchas random forest block 1402, support vector machine block 1404, andgraphical models block 1406, which may be applied to a deep neuralnetwork model, for example. Random forest block 1402 can include anensemble learning method for classification that operates byconstructing decision trees at training time. Random forest block 1402can output the class that is the mode of the classes output byindividual trees, for example. Random forest block 1402 can function asa framework including several interchangeable parts that can be mixedand matched to create a large number of particular models. Constructinga machine learning model in such a framework involves determiningdirections of decisions used in each node, determining types ofpredictors to use in each leaf, determining splitting objectives tooptimize in each node, determining methods for injecting randomness intothe trees, and so on.

Support vector machine block 1404 classifies data for machine learningmodel 1400. Support vector machine block 1404 can function as asupervised learning model with associated learning algorithms thatanalyze data and recognize patterns, used for classification andregression analysis. For example, given a set of training data, eachmarked as belonging to one of two categories, a support vector machinetraining algorithm builds a machine learning model that assigns newtraining data into one category or the other.

Graphical models block 1406 functions as a probabilistic model for whicha graph denotes conditional dependence structures between randomvariables. Graphical models provide algorithms for discovering andanalyzing structure in distributions and extract unstructuredinformation.

FIG. 15 illustrates a UWD 1502 worn by a user on arm/hand 1504, which isinteracting with a handheld touchscreen 1506. The user is using the hand1508 opposite arm/hand 1504 to hold touchscreen 1506. Generally, a userinitiates touch events on a touchscreen using thumbs while holding ontothe touchscreen with the remainder of the hands. On the other hand,often a user will hold the touchscreen with one hand and operate (e.g.,initiate touch events by touching) the touchscreen with the oppositehand, the situation which is illustrated in FIG. 15.

In some examples, touchscreen 1506 includes an IMU 1510 that measureskinematics (e.g., velocity, acceleration, and/or position) oftouchscreen 1506. UWD 1502 also includes an IMU, as described above. Aprocessor, which may be part of a system that includes the touchscreen,the UWD, or both, may determine if a thumb of either hand or a finger(s)of the non-holding hand touch the touchscreen to initiate a touch event.Such a determination may be made by comparing kinematic measurements oftouchscreen 1506 collected by IMU 1510 with kinematic measurements ofarm/hand 1504 collected by the IMU of UWD 1502. For example, if touchevents (e.g., touches on touchscreen 1506) correspond to downward motionmeasured by the IMU of UWD 1502, then the processor may infer thatfinger(s) of arm/hand 1504, which is not holding touchscreen 1506,initiated the touch events. On the other hand, if touch events (e.g.,touches on touchscreen 1506) correspond to downward motion measured byIMU 1510 of touchscreen 1506, then the processor may infer that thethumb of arm/hand 1508, which is holding touchscreen 1506, initiated thetouch events. In another example, the IMU of UWD 1502 may measurekinematics that indicate that arm/hand is rotated in such a way as toallow the thumb of arm/hand 1504 to touch touchscreen 1506. In thiscase, if touch events (e.g., touches on touchscreen 1506) correspond todownward motion measured by the IMU of UWD 1502, then the processor mayinfer that the thumb of arm/hand 1504, which may or may not be holdingtouchscreen 1506, initiated the touch events.

In some examples, UWD 1502 may be worn on the hand holding the handheldtouchscreen 1506 (typically non-dominant hand) and detect the differencebetween the thumb of the non-dominant hand touching the handheldtouchscreen (e.g., to navigate a map) and the index finger of thedominant hand touching the handheld touchscreen (e.g., to trace on themap). Such detection may be based, at least in part, on the sensor ofthe UWD (and could be combined with sensors on the handheld touchscreen,for example).

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of an example API 1600. For example, API 1600may be the same as or similar to API 226, illustrated in FIG. 2. API1600 may include any of a number of modules (e.g., segments or portionsof code) that include one or more executable instructions forimplementing specific logical functions or elements associated withinterfacing between, for example, a touchscreen and a UWD. In someexamples, API 1600 may include a query module 1602 to query, in responseto a touch event (such as on a touch surface (e.g., touchscreendisplay)), a UWD for kinematic data of the UWD as measured by the UWDduring the touch event. In some examples, the UWD may be streaming datacomprising accelerometer and/or gyroscope information to a system atleast partially controlling a touchscreen display of one or more touchevents. A module, such a query module 1602, may search for a possiblespike in the streaming data in response to a touch down event. Kinematicdata may include acceleration data, velocity data, and position ororientation data for the UWD. Such kinematic data (e.g., an accelerationprofile, etc.) may be used to determine which part (e.g., dominant ornon-dominant hand, one finger, multiple fingers, and so on) of a userperformed the touch event. In some examples, the number of fingers inphysical contact with a touchscreen display may be determined directlyby a digitizer of a touchscreen display (e.g., number of touch down ortouch move events having different identifications), although the signalin an accelerometer and/or a gyroscope may depend, at least partially,on how many fingers touch the touchscreen display. In some examples,query module 1602 may perform the query if the UWD is within a thresholddistance from the display surface (e.g., such as for a hover event).

Query module 1602 may additionally be configured to query the UWD foridentification of the UWD. For example, upon occurrence of a touchevent, query module 1602 may transit a request to the UWD for kinematicdata and/or identification of the UWD, such as a GUID, MAC address, orother unique identifier.

A receive module 1604 may receive (e.g., via transmitter/transceiver224, illustrated in FIG. 2) the kinematic data or the identification ofthe UWD. A display module 1606 may generate a displayed reaction to thetouch event based, at least in part, on the received kinematic data. Forexample, in the case where kinematic data is used to determine whichpart of a user performed the touch event, display module 1606 mayprovide a first set of instructions for responding to the touch event ifthe UWD is worn on the arm that performed the touch event or provide asecond set of instructions for responding to the touch event if the UWDis worn on the arm opposite to the arm that performed the touch event.

A user-identifying module 1608 may, in some examples, identify a userwearing the UWD based, at least in part, on the identification of theUWD. For example, user-identifying module 1608 may search for a match ofthe identification of the UWD in a look-up table that includescorresponding user information. User-identifying module 1608 maydetermine the identification of the user wearing the UWD based, at leastin part, on the searching. In other examples, identification may beperformed using vision that is based on a camera linked to a systemcontrolling the touchscreen display. In some examples, display module1606 may modify a set of instructions for responding to the touch eventbased, at least in part, on the identification of the user. In someexamples, user-identifying module 1608 may be configured to access theCloud to identify the user and/or collect information about the userwearing the UWD based, at least in part, on the identification of theUWD.

A touch-identifying module 1610 may determine whether a dominant hand ora non-dominant hand of the user performed the touch event. Such adetermination may be based, at least in part, kinematic data (e.g., anacceleration profile, etc.). Touch-identifying module 1610 may determinewhich part (e.g., dominant or non-dominant hand, one finger, multiplefingers, and so on) of a user performed the touch event. For example,touch-identifying module 1610 may determine, based at least in part on alook-up table, placement information regarding whether the UWD is wornon a dominant hand of the user or a non-dominant hand of the user. Suchplacement information may be included in the look-up table thatcorrelates UWD identification with personal information of users wearingrespective UWDs, for example. Touch-identifying module 1610 maydetermine, based at least in part on acceleration data and the placementinformation, if the dominant hand of the user produced the touch eventor if the non-dominant hand of the user produced the touch event.

A menu-generating module 1612 may generate custom menus on a displaybased, at least in part, on the identity of the user. For example, if aparticular user is determined to have touched the touchscreen, then amenu that is customized or based on most-recently-used commands andtools by the particular user may be generated and subsequentlydisplayed. In another example, if a dominant hand of a user isdetermined to have touched the touchscreen, then menu-generating module1612 may resultantly generate one or more menus different from the casewhere the non-dominant hand was determined to have touched thetouchscreen. In yet another example, if the intensity (e.g., touchimpact—how hard the user touched the screen) is determined (or detected)to be above a particular threshold, then menu-generating module 1612 mayresultantly generate one or more menus different from the case where theintensity is determined (or detected) to be below the particularthreshold. In yet another instance, there might be more than onethreshold.

In some examples, menu-generating module 1612 may comprise an API thatmay be at any of a number of layers. In some examples, such an API mayoperate to obtain information about a user and the user's hands, etc.,while another module, which could be in a layer above this API, mayoperate to generate menus and display, etc. based, at least in part, onthe user and hand information of the user. In some examples, an API maybe generic and not only handle hand and user detection using a band orUWD, but may use other technologies, such as fingerprint detection. Suchan API may encapsulate any of a number of details and complexities.Also, applications consuming such an API may seamlessly work on futureplatforms using detection technologies that are feasible in the future.

The flow of operations illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18 are illustrated asa collection of blocks and/or arrows representing sequences ofoperations that can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or acombination thereof. The order in which the blocks are described is notintended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of thedescribed operations can be combined in any order to implement one ormore methods, or alternate methods. Additionally, individual operationsmay be omitted from the flow of operations without departing from thespirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. In the contextof software, the blocks represent computer-readable instructions that,when executed by one or more processors, configure the processor toperform the recited operations. In the context of hardware, the blocksmay represent one or more circuits (e.g., FPGAs, application specificintegrated circuits—ASICs, etc.) configured to execute the recitedoperations.

Any routine descriptions, elements, or blocks in the flows of operationsillustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18 may represent modules, segments, orportions of code that include one or more executable instructions forimplementing specific logical functions or elements in the routine.

FIG. 17 is a flow diagram of an example process 1700 that may beperformed by a processor. For example, process 1700 may be performed bycomputing device 102, illustrated in FIG. 1. At block 1702, theprocessor may receive data representative of acceleration of a sensingdevice (e.g., UWD) from the sensing device during a touch event, whichmay occur on a touchscreen, for example. At block 1704, the processormay determine, based at least in part on the data, whether the sensingdevice is held or worn on an arm that performed the touch event orwhether the sensing device is held or worn on an arm opposite to the armthat performed the touch event. At block 1706, the processor may providea first set of instructions for responding to the touch event if thesensing device is held or worn on the arm that performed the touch eventor providing a second set of instructions for responding to the touchevent if the sensing device is held or worn on the arm opposite to thearm that performed the touch event. In some examples, the first set ofinstructions for responding to the touch event may be associated with adominant hand of the user and the second set of instructions forresponding to the touch event may be associated with a non-dominant handof the user. In some implementations, the processor may modify the firstset of instructions or the second set of instructions based, at least inpart, on information regarding whether the UWD is worn on a dominanthand of the user or a non-dominant hand of the user.

In some examples, the processor may determine an intensity-time profileof acceleration (and/or data profiles of other types of sensors) of thesensing device from the data representative of acceleration of thesensing device and, based at least in part on the intensity-time profileof the acceleration, to determine whether one finger or more than onefinger of a user produced the touch event.

FIG. 18 is a flow diagram of an example process 1800 for responding to atouch event in view of an identified user. Process 1800 may be performedby a processor. For example, process 1800 may be performed by computingdevice 102, illustrated in FIG. 1. At block 1802, the processor may, inresponse to a touch event, query a UWD (or held device) foridentification of the UWD, which may comprise a GUID, for example. Atblock 1804, the processor may match the identification of the UWD in alook-up table with a corresponding identity of a user wearing the UWD.The look-up table may include, among other things, data representativeof historical touch events performed by the user. A look-up table may bein the UWD and/or may be in the Cloud, for example. In some examples, aduplicate of a look-up table (or a portion thereof) in the Cloud mayreside in the UWD so as to allow the processor to react quickly (e.g.,avoiding communications to/from the Cloud) or to allow the process towork even if internet or remote communications are not working, forexample.

At block 1804, the processor may generate a reaction to the touch eventbased, at least in part, on the identity of the user. Such a reactionmay include, for example, displaying a custom menu on a display based,at least in part, on the identity of the user. For example, if aparticular user is determined to have touched the touchscreen, then amenu that is customized or based on most-recently-used commands andtools by the particular user may be generated and subsequentlydisplayed.

In some examples, the processor may, in response to the touch event,query the UWD for acceleration data of the UWD as measured by the UWDduring the touch event. The acceleration data may accompanyidentification of the UWD. The processor may subsequently determine,based at least in part information in the look-up table, placementinformation regarding whether the UWD is worn on a dominant hand of theuser or a non-dominant hand of the user. The processor may determine,based at least in part on (i) the acceleration data and (ii) theplacement information (e.g., on which hand or arm the UWD is worn), ifthe dominant hand of the user produced the touch event or if thenon-dominant hand of the user produced the touch event.

EXAMPLE CLAUSES

The following clauses describe multiple possible embodiments forimplementing the features described in this disclosure. The variousembodiments described herein are not limiting nor is every feature fromany given embodiment required to be present in another embodiment. Anytwo or more of the embodiments may be combined together unless contextclearly indicates otherwise. As used herein in this document “or” meansand/or. For example, “A or B” means A without B, B without A, or A andB. As used herein, “comprising” means including all listed features andpotentially including addition of other features that are not listed.“Consisting essentially of” means including the listed features andthose additional features that do not materially affect the basic andnovel characteristics of the listed features. “Consisting of” means onlythe listed features to the exclusion of any feature not listed.

A. A system comprising: one or more processors; and a memory storinginstructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causethe one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receivingdata representative of acceleration of a sensing device from the sensingdevice during a touch event; determining, based at least in part on thedata, whether the sensing device is held or worn on an arm thatperformed the touch event or whether the sensing device is held or wornon an arm opposite to the arm that performed the touch event; andproviding a first set of instructions for responding to the touch eventif the sensing device is held or worn on the arm that performed thetouch event or providing a second set of instructions for responding tothe touch event if the sensing device is held or worn on the armopposite to the arm that performed the touch event.

B. The system as paragraph A recites, further comprising a touchscreen,wherein the operations further comprise receiving the touch event on thetouchscreen.

C. The system as paragraph A recites, the operations further comprising:receiving an identification of the sensing device before or during thetouch event; searching for the identification of the sensing device in alook-up table; determining an identification of a user based, at leastin part, on the searching; and modifying the first set of instructionsor the second set of instructions based, at least in part, on theidentification of the user.

D. The system as paragraph C recites, wherein the first set ofinstructions for responding to the touch event is associated with adominant hand of the user and the second set of instructions forresponding to the touch event is associated with a non-dominant hand ofthe user.

E. The system as paragraph C recites, wherein the operations furthercomprise: receiving information from a memory or from the sensing deviceregarding whether the sensing device is held or worn on a dominant handof the user or a non-dominant hand of the user; and modifying the firstset of instructions or the second set of instructions based, at least inpart, on the information.

F. The system as paragraph A recites, the operations further comprising:determining an intensity-time profile of acceleration of the sensingdevice from the data representative of acceleration of the sensingdevice; and based, at least in part, on the intensity-time profile ofthe acceleration, determining whether one finger or more than one fingerof a user produced the touch event.

G. A method comprising: in response to a touch event on a displaysurface, querying a user wearable device (UWD) that is within athreshold distance from the display surface for identification of theUWD; matching the identification of the UWD in a look-up table with acorresponding identity of a user; and generating a reaction on thedisplay surface to the touch event based, at least in part, on theidentity of the user.

H. The method as paragraph G recites, further comprising: in response tothe touch event, querying the UWD for acceleration data of the UWD asmeasured by the UWD during the touch event; receiving the accelerationdata; determining, based at least in part on the look-up table,placement information regarding whether the UWD is worn on a dominanthand of the user or a non-dominant hand of the user; and determining,based at least in part on (i) the acceleration data and (ii) theplacement information, if the dominant hand of the user produced thetouch event or if the non-dominant hand of the user produced the touchevent.

I. The method as paragraph G recites, wherein the generating thereaction to the touch event is further based, at least in part, onwhether the dominant hand of the user produced the touch event or thenon-dominant hand of the user produced the touch event.

J. The method as paragraph G recites, further comprising: determining ashape of an acceleration pulse from the acceleration data, wherein theacceleration pulse represents a magnitude of an acceleration of the UWDas a function of time, and wherein the determining if the dominant handof the user produced the touch event or if the non-dominant hand of theuser produced the touch event is further based, at least in part, on ashape of the pulse.

K. The method as paragraph G recites, further comprising: storing atleast a portion of the acceleration data and associating the storedacceleration data with the user; and accessing the stored accelerationdata during a machine leaning process for determining behavior of theuser during additional touch events.

L. The method as paragraph G recites, further comprising: storing atleast a portion of the acceleration data and associating the storedacceleration data with the user; storing additional acceleration data ofa second UWD of a second user and associating the stored additionalacceleration data with the second user; and accessing the storedacceleration data and the stored additional acceleration data during amachine leaning process to determine whether the user or the second userproduced the touch event.

M. The method as paragraph G recites, wherein the look-up table includesdata representative of historical touch events performed by the user.

N. The method as paragraph G recites, wherein the identification of theUWD comprises a globally unique identifier (GUID).

O. The method as paragraph G recites, further comprising: in response tothe touch event, querying the UWD for acceleration data measured by theUWD during the touch event; receiving the acceleration data; anddetermining a magnitude of force of the touch event based, at least inpart, on the acceleration data, wherein the generating the reaction tothe touch event is further based, at least in part, on the magnitude offorce of the touch event.

P. An application programming interface comprising: a query module toquery, in response to a touch event, a user wearable device (UWD) forkinematic data of the UWD as measured by the UWD during the touch event;a receive module to receive the kinematic data; and a display module togenerate a displayed reaction to the touch event based, at least inpart, on the received kinematic data.

Q. The application programming interface as paragraph P recites, whereinthe query module is configured to query the UWD for identification ofthe UWD, the application programming interface further comprising: auser-identifying module to identify a user based, at least in part, onthe identification of the UWD; and a touch-identifying module todetermine whether a dominant hand or a non-dominant hand of the userperformed the touch event.

R. The application programming interface as paragraph Q recites, furthercomprising: a menu-generating module to generate a custom menu based, atleast in part, on the identity of the user.

S. The application programming interface as paragraph Q recites, whereinthe user-identifying module is configured to access the Cloud toidentify the user based, at least in part, on the identification of theUWD.

T. The application programming interface as paragraph P recites, whereinthe kinematic data includes velocity data and orientation data of theUWD.

Although the techniques have been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the appended claims are not necessarily limited to the features oracts described. Rather, the features and acts are described as exampleimplementations of such techniques.

Unless otherwise noted, all of the methods and processes described abovemay be embodied in whole or in part by software code modules executed byone or more general purpose computers or processors. The code modulesmay be stored in any type of computer-readable storage medium or othercomputer storage device. Some or all of the methods may alternatively beimplemented in whole or in part by specialized computer hardware, suchas FPGAs, ASICs, etc.

Conditional language such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might” or“may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, are used to indicate thatcertain examples include, while other examples do not include, the notedfeatures, elements and/or steps. Thus, unless otherwise stated, suchconditional language is not intended to imply that features, elementsand/or steps are in any way required for one or more examples or thatone or more examples necessarily include logic for deciding, with orwithout user input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/orsteps are included or are to be performed in any particular example.

Conjunctive language such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y or Z,”unless specifically stated otherwise, is to be understood to presentthat an item, term. etc. may be either X, or Y, or Z, or a combinationthereof.

Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-describedexamples, the elements of which are to be understood as being amongother acceptable examples. All such modifications and variations areintended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: one or more processors; anda memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or moreprocessors, cause the one or more processors to perform operationscomprising: receiving data representative of acceleration of a sensingdevice from the sensing device during a touch event; generating anacceleration pulse from the data representative of the acceleration ofthe sensing device where the acceleration pulse represents accelerationas a function of time and has an amplitude and a width; determiningwhether the amplitude of the acceleration pulse exceeds a firstdetection threshold and the width of the acceleration pulse is below asecond detection threshold after the touch event has occurred; where adetermination is made that the amplitude of the acceleration pulseexceeds the first detection threshold and the width of the accelerationpulse is below a second detection threshold, determining that thesensing device is held or worn on an arm that performed the touch event;where a determination is made that the amplitude of the accelerationpulse does not exceed the detection threshold and the width of theacceleration pulse is below a second detection threshold, determiningthat the sensing device is held or worn on an arm opposite to the armthat performed the touch event; and providing a first set ofinstructions for responding to the touch event if the sensing device isheld or worn on the arm that performed the touch event or providing asecond set of instructions for responding to the touch event if thesensing device is held or worn on the arm opposite to the arm thatperformed the touch event.
 2. The system of claim 1, further comprisinga touchscreen, wherein the operations further comprise receiving thetouch event on the touchscreen.
 3. The system of claim 1; the operationsfurther comprising: receiving an identification of the sensing devicebefore or during the touch event; searching for the identification ofthe sensing device in a look-up table; determining an identification ofa user based, at least in part, on the searching; and modifying thefirst set of instructions or the second set of instructions based, atleast in part, on the identification of the user.
 4. The system of claim3, wherein the first set of instructions for responding to the touchevent is associated with a dominant hand of the user and the second setof instructions for responding to the touch event is associated with anon-dominant hand of the user.
 5. The system of claim 3, wherein theoperations further comprise: receiving information from a memory or fromthe sensing device regarding whether the sensing device is held or wornon a dominant hand of the user or a non-dominant hand of the user; andmodifying the first set of instructions or the second set ofinstructions based, at least in part, on the information.
 6. The systemof claim 1, the operations further comprising: based, at least in part,on the data representative of acceleration of the sensing device,determining whether one finger or more than one finger of a userproduced the touch event.
 7. A method comprising: in response to a touchevent on a display surface: querying a user wearable device (UWD) thatis within a threshold distance from the display surface foridentification of the MD; querying the UWD for acceleration data of theUWD as measured by the UWD during the touch event, wherein theacceleration data is representable as a pulse having a width and anamplitude: receiving the acceleration data; matching the identificationof the UWD in a look-up table with a corresponding identity of a user;determining, based at least in part on the look-up table, placementinformation regarding whether the UWD is worn on a dominant hand of theuser or a non-dominant hand of the user; determining, based at least inpart on (i) whether the height of the pulse representing theacceleration data exceeds a first detection threshold and the width isbelow a second detection threshold after the touch event has occurred;and (ii) the placement information, if the dominant hand of the userproduced the touch event or if the non-dominant hand of the userproduced the touch event; and generating a reaction on the displaysurface to the touch event based, at least in part, on the identity ofthe user.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the generating the reactionto the touch event is further based, at least in part, on whether thedominant hand of the user produced the touch event or the non-dominanthand of the user produced the touch event.
 9. The method of claim 7,further comprising: determining a shape of an acceleration pulse fromthe acceleration data, wherein the acceleration pulse represents amagnitude of an acceleration of the UWD as a function of time, andwherein the determining if the dominant hand of the user produced thetouch event or if the non-dominant hand of the user produced the touchevent is further based, at least in part, on a shape of the pulse. 10.The method of claim 7, further comprising: storing at least a portion ofthe acceleration data and associating the stored acceleration data withthe user, and accessing the stored acceleration data during a machinelearning process for determining behavior of the user during additionaltouch events.
 11. The method of claim 7, further comprising: storing atleast a portion of the acceleration data and associating the storedacceleration data with the user, storing additional acceleration data ofa second UWD of a second user and associating the stored additionalacceleration data with the second user; and accessing the storedacceleration data and the stored additional acceleration data during amachine learning process to determine whether the user or the seconduser produced the touch event.
 12. The method of claim 7, wherein thelook-up table includes data representative of historical touch eventsperformed by the user.
 13. The method of claim 7, wherein theidentification of the ID comprises a globally unique identifier (GUID).14. The method of claim 7, further comprising: in response to the touchevent, querying the MD for acceleration data measured by e UWD duringthe touch event; receiving the acceleration data; and determining amagnitude of force of the touch event based, at least in part, on theacceleration data, wherein the generating the reaction to the touchevent is further based, at least in part, on the magnitude of force ofthe touch event.
 15. A system comprising: a memory storage devicestoring computer-executable instructions; and one or more hardwareprocessors that, having executed the computer-executable instructions,configure a system to implement an application programming interface,the application programming interface comprising: a query module toquery, in response to a touch event, a user wearable device (UWD) forkinematic data of the UWD as measured by the UWD during the touch event,the kinematic data including acceleration data of the UWD, theacceleration data corresponding to an acceleration pulse representingacceleration as a function of time and having a width and an amplitude;a receive module to receive the kinematic data; a touch-identifyingmodule to determine whether the UWD is held or worn on an arm thatperformed the touch event based, at least in part, on whether theamplitude of the acceleration pulse exceeds a first detection thresholdand the width of the acceleration pulse is below a second detectionthreshold after the touch event has occurred; and a display module togenerate a displayed reaction to the touch event based, at least inpart, on the determination performed by the touch-identifying module.16. The system of claim 15, wherein: the query module is configured toquery the UWD for identification of the UWD; and the applicationprogramming interface further comprises: a user-identifying module toidentify a user based, at least in part, on the identification of theUWD.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the application programminginterface further comprises: a menu-generating module to generate acustom menu based, at least in part, on the identity of the user. 18.The system, of claim 16, wherein the user-identifying module isconfigured to access the Cloud to identify the user based, at least inpart, on the identification of the UWD.
 19. The system of claim 15,wherein the kinematic data includes velocity data and orientation dataof the UWD.